Help me plan a trip for my son

smokey30725

Senior Member
I would like to take my son on a coastal fishing trip for spring break. He is going to be 13 and is competent as a fisherman. His dream is to go on a tarpon trip. I'm more of a freshwater fisherman, but would love to make this a trip of a lifetime. Do you guys know any good charters that take people out for tarpon? He would also love any type of saltwater trip that would put him on big fish. We took a kayak trip last summer in Savannah, but the tide went out and stranded us and the guide on a marsh flat for 3 hours. We did better surf fishing at the beach, where my son brought in two large sting rays, a small blacktip shark and one shark that we got into the shallows before it broke off his steel leader. I would love to give him the trip of a lifetime. Any suggestions?
 

perryrip

Member
Spring break will be too early on the GA coast. If you try in July or after try Roger Burge in Richmond Hill. He specializes in tarpon in this area.
 

Jimmy Lee Armel

Senior Member
Spring break

I'm not sure when spring break is, but I would do a offshore sheepshead trip. Mid March is when it's at its best (that's when I am having Blair come to film for addictive fishing) there will be plenty in the seven pound range and some over ten pounds. All fought on light tackle in 40 to 50 ft of water. Depending on water temperatures and bait, kings MIGHT be doable. On the wrecks that time of year bull reds in the twenty to forty pound range can be found. Then of course there is always the mahi run that time of year if you want to run to the stream. If you wanted to do harpoon in ga these guys are correct, late summer early fall. If you want a trip of a lifetime in March? I'd say sheepshead. It will test the skill of any level of angler.
 

smokey30725

Senior Member
Thanks for the info, guys. The shark fishing trip sounds awesome!
 

lagrangedave

Gone But Not Forgotten
They let you keep two per trip and filet them for $15 each. We kept two at about 46 lbs............lots of good filets..
 

SemperFiDawg

Political Forum Arbiter of Truth (And Lies Too)
I would like to take my son on a coastal fishing trip for spring break. He is going to be 13 and is competent as a fisherman. His dream is to go on a tarpon trip. I'm more of a freshwater fisherman, but would love to make this a trip of a lifetime. Do you guys know any good charters that take people out for tarpon? He would also love any type of saltwater trip that would put him on big fish. We took a kayak trip last summer in Savannah, but the tide went out and stranded us and the guide on a marsh flat for 3 hours. We did better surf fishing at the beach, where my son brought in two large sting rays, a small blacktip shark and one shark that we got into the shallows before it broke off his steel leader. I would love to give him the trip of a lifetime. Any suggestions?

Best fishing trip of my life was with Jimmy Lee Armel right here on the board. Would highly recommend him. They don't come any better. Shoot him a pm.
 

Scallen2112

Senior Member
Thanks for the info, guys. The shark fishing trip sounds awesome!

Well...maybe not. Spring break on the 2018 calendar is in early March, and the hordes of Blacktips and Spinners don't really come into play until around May.

Here is my advice: Look backwards in the fishing blogs, guides websites, GON and other sources, and see what has traditionally been biting in March. Ignore last year - it was an anomaly. Once you decide what you might like to fish for, then pick a guide who does well at that. Alternately, pick a guide first and let him/her tell you what is going on that time of year. (Like Jimmy, above, telling you that the sheepshead bite will probably be on).

Now if you are dead set on Tarpon, your best bet is to take the trip down to Key West - but you better reserve something now. You could not pay me to be anywhere near the keys during spring break.
 
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